its takes an axe, sometimes a feather
by counterpunch
Summary: Something's wrong, something's really wrong, but Kristoff doesn't know what he did. Also known as: Anna finally finds out.


Something's wrong.

More specifically, Kristoff knows _he _did something wrong, something _really _wrong, because Anna's stomping toward him from across the courtyard and there's murder in her eyes. Even though he doesn't know what he did, there's a lame apology attempt on the edge of his lips before Anna slaps him.

"What was that for?" he asks incredulously, one hand cupping his face.

"Why, Kristoff?" She demands. "You knew, you knew this _whole_ time"

"Wait, what?"

"Ice magic. Trolls. Elsa. _**ME**_**. **Ringing any bells here?!"

"Anna-"

"You knew," she interrupts, not letting him speak, "You knew the _WHOLE _time and you didn't say anything."

"I didn't-"

"_WHY_ didn't you say anything?"

"It wasn't for me to tell" he yells, trying to get a word in. Anna's still furious; she crosses her arms angrily and glares, but she stands down enough to allow him to speak. "I didn't say anything because I didn't want to be the idiot responsible for killing the princess. I just figured everything was fine! That you were better, you went home and everything went back to normal."

"Nothing was ever _normal_ after that, Kristoff."

"I didn't...I didn't know," he admits.

Anna snorts bitterly, "Yeah, well that made for two of us." She takes a few steps and drops heavily onto a bench.

Words have never been his strong suit, and until recently, he made sure he never had to worry about them. But Anna changed all that; seeing her sitting so tiny and _hurt_ makes his heart clench.

"Anna-" he tries in a softer, more tender voice.

"Everyone I've ever cared about has basically been lying to me for my entire life." She says, looking down at her empty hands. "There's this…huge part of my life that was missing and everyone has been hiding it from me."

"Anna, I was just trying to keep you safe."

He immediately knows it was the wrong thing to say and wishes he could take it back because she bristles and instantly the fire comes back.

"When will everyone stop thinking they need to protect me!" She yells, snapping back to her feet. "I'm not a child! I'm not this inept..._thing_."

"No one's saying that."

"But you've been treating me like one since I was _five_."

"I just-"

"I climbed a mountain, I was chased by wolves and snowmonsters - I _died_ - what more do I have to do to prove that I can handle it? I can handle it! I'm sick of people trying to protect me!"

"That won't stop me from trying to protect you. I love you too much!"

"Well then maybe you both should _stop_."

"Wait, what? Anna, what are you talking about," he asks.

"Don't you get it?" She says, anger breaking into in a suddenly fragile voice, "It's all my fault."

Kristoff can feel his heart shatter into a million pieces. "No, Anna. No, it's not your fault, you can't say that."

"How!?" She cracks, eyes brimming, "How can I not say that?! I'm just this _thing_ that barrels on with no thought to anyone else! I'm-I'm so..._selfish_!" she spits, realization dawning as her face twists from shock to disgust, "I jumped when Elsa asked me to slow down, I kept pushing when she begged me to stop, I pulled her _glove_ off, I knocked, I knocked, I kept _knocking_, while she-" She's borderline hysterical now, panic escalating, her voice rising and breath short.

Kristoff watches helplessly as Anna spins faster in the swell of panic. She looks so _lost _and _scared_, two things Anna isn't, he can't stand it anymore. He crosses the distance between them in less than two steps and pulls her into a hug. She's the biggest and strongest person he knows, but right now she's so small and fragile against his chest.

"It's all my fault, Kristoff," she chokes out, clutching his shirt, "I did this to her: _me_. If I'd just..._listened_ for once in my life, none of this would have ever happened. She never would've had to hide herself away, she wouldn't have spent years hating herself, being afraid. _I _gave her those panic attacks, Kristoff, _me_. We could have grown up together, we could've...we could've…" Her breath hitches and she hiccups so hard she can't even talk anymore, melting in sobs instead.

He has an idea, but it might be a terrible idea and make Anna hate him more but it's the only thing he can think of to snap her out of it. He closes his eyes and makes a quick prayer that it'll pay off.

"Can I ask you something? Wasn't it really kind of Elsa's fault?"

Anna recoils horrified as if slapped. "What? No! How could you even say that?"

"I mean, she's the one that hit you."

Her glare is hot enough to kill. "It was an _accident_, she was just a little _kid_," she says fiercely.

"Exactly. So how could you think what happened was _your_ fault."

All the wind goes out of Anna and her mouth snaps shut.

"That's not fair," she grumbles with a pout.

She sniffles and scootches closer next to him and his whole body sighs into her when Anna's head drops onto his shoulder. "Sometimes, things just….happen. And they're horrible and terrible, but, they're _accidents._ You can't blame yourself for things that aren't your fault any more than Elsa can."

"But-"

"We love that you're stubborn and pushy and jump without looking. And look, we never would've gotten here if you weren't those things. I never would've met you. I dunno, maybe it's a little selfish, but...you might've saved Elsa, Anna, but you saved me too."

Her eyes are shining and he's relieved to finally see something besides anger and heartache in them.

"I love you," she says softly, hiccuping as her crying slows. "I'm sorry for hitting you," she mumbles as she nuzzles into his arm.

"I love you, too," he says, kissing the top of her head. "Now, are you done being stupid?"

"Never," she says, though he can feel a smile grow.

"I'm so _mad_ at them." Anna says after a moment's pause, wiping furiously at her eyes. "They lied to me every day, Kristoff. They let me believe she didn't care about me, that she didn't care about _anyone_. They took my _life_ from me. _Elsa's_ life, and I just...I don't know how to deal with that."

Just then he sees Elsa running out of the castle, wringing her hands, looking frantically in every direction. When she finally notices them, her body sighs in relief and gratitude shines in her eyes, but she doesn't stop twisting her hands. The queen looking at him would have felt uncomfortable just a few weeks ago, but now she's just Elsa, and with Anna in his arms, he understands.

"I think you should talk to your family about it."

"Who? Kristoff, they're _dead_."

"Not everyone," He nods his head toward Elsa, who's still hesitating in the distance.

Anna brightens at the sight of her sister and even if sadness still lingers in the edges of her eyes, there's a yearning that pulls her forward. Kristoff can sense her wanting to go. "Go on," he nudges Anna, "I'll be fine."

She twists her head to look up at him. "Are you sure?"

It's adorable the way she thinks to check in with him first, not asking for permission, but to make sure he's okay. He'll never get over the way other people come first to Anna and the effortless way she makes room for them in her life. It's as easy to her as breathing and he falls in love with her all over again. "Yeah," he smiles lovingly, "Go make sure your sister doesn't set off another winter."

She smacks his shoulder but can't help the smile from creeping onto her face. "Shut up, that was _one time_."

He chuckles, and as Anna gets up, she leans in to kiss his cheek and lets her lips linger softly. Cupping his face, she leans their foreheads together and whispers, "Thank you."

And everything is right.


End file.
